"This pace is suffocating... I can barely breathe."
"So intense..."
"The offense and defense are moving too fast!"
────────── ✦ ──────────
On the sidelines, Ukai Keishin watched the blistering pace of the game with a growing sense of unease in his gut.
Fast-paced offense is a common tactic in competitive sports. By speeding up both attack and defense, a team can disrupt the opponent's formation and create scoring opportunities.
But such a tactic is a double-edged sword.
A pace that overwhelms the enemy can also overwhelm your own team.
And right now, Karasuno's quickened tempo wasn't part of any planned strategy, it was a reaction to the scoreboard. The wide point gap had stirred up impatience in the players, making them subconsciously push for faster plays.
Bang!
Tanaka Ryunosuke launched a powerful spike that crashed toward Aoba Johsai's side, only to be perfectly received by libero Watari Shinji.
Oikawa Tooru stepped in and sent up a precise set to Akashi Asuka. Asuka soared into the air, chin lifting past Tanaka's line of sight, and slammed down a spike over the block.
BOOM!!!
The impact was louder than Tanaka's earlier hit. The ball traced a sharp diagonal line across Karasuno's court and landed in a completely undefended spot.
24–18.
Aoba Johsai had reached a set point.
"Damn it!" Tanaka roared in frustration, glaring across the net at Akashi Asuka.
Up until now, Asuka hadn't spiked this set many times, but not once had Karasuno managed to block him.
It wasn't that Asuka had some sort of superior technique. The problem was simple: his spiking height was just too much for them to handle.
Among Karasuno's blockers, only Asahi Azumane and Tsukishima Kei had the height to potentially match him. But Asahi wasn't strong in blocking, and Tsukishima lacked the motivation.
It was a harsh reality: Karasuno was still just a fledgling team.
They were a flock of baby birds, freshly hatched, while Aoba Johsai had already grown into a towering tree with thick, sprawling branches.
Sure, the chicks might catch the occasional bug crawling up that tree, but breaking through the bark? That was a different story.
Tweet!
The whistle blew once more.
The referee stood cold and expressionless, like an emotionless executioner. No matter the joy or sorrow felt by the players, the whistle would blow all the same.
Aoba Johsai served the ball across the net.
Karasuno's libero received it and sent it toward Kageyama Tobio. As the ball floated overhead, Kageyama's mind raced.
"Six points behind. We have to close the gap. We can't let this one get blocked. If it does, it's over. I need to avoid the block. Faster. I have to set a ball that slips through all defense, "
Whoosh!
He suddenly sent out a quick set.
Hinata Shoyo, already midair, swung his arm with full force, eyes shut tight.
But,
He missed.
There was no satisfying impact. No contact with the ball.
Thump~~
The sound of the ball hitting the floor was painfully loud.
Tweet!!!
The whistle cut through the air with brutal finality.
Both teams stared in shock at the volleyball bouncing just out of bounds.
Kageyama stood frozen, as if he'd just taken a hammer to the head, his mind gone blank.
"The first set is over..."
────────── ✦ ──────────
"Looks like Kageyama got a little too impatient."
"Can't blame him. That kind of score gap would rattle anyone."
"Wonder how Karasuno will respond in the next set?"
Over in Aoba Johsai's bench area, the players took a short break, sipping water while catching their breath.
Coach Irihata Nobuteru stood nearby, outlining the strategy for the next set. It wasn't anything drastically different, just a reminder to maintain their rhythm.
Before long, the second set began.
But as Aoba Johsai's players stepped onto the court, a few blinked in surprise.
Kageyama Tobio was sitting on the bench.
Taking his place on the court was a new setter, someone they hadn't seen before.
"Who's that guy? The new setter?"
"Let me check... Ah! Number 2... Wait, he's a third-year student!"
"What? You mean he got benched by a first-year like Kageyama?"
"Tch. What's so strange about that? Didn't Aoba Johsai also have a first-year who took the ace position from a third-year?"
The player now subbing in for Karasuno was none other than Sugawara Koushi. Before Kageyama joined the team, Sugawara had been the main setter. While he didn't have Kageyama's natural talent, he shared a deeper synergy with the rest of the team.
Oikawa Tooru held the ball in hand, eyes narrowing as he studied Sugawara for a moment before giving a small nod. "Hmm, seems like a pretty cheerful guy. Wonder what kind of personality he's got... Ugh, what a pain. I just got done dealing with Little Tobio, why'd they have to switch him out already?"
His face looked disappointed, but Akashi Asuka, observing nearby, could only see one thing written all over him: malice.
"Oh well. There's no point thinking too hard about it–" Oikawa shrugged. "Even the best setter can't do anything without the ball in his hands."
Tweet!
The whistle blew, the second set was underway.
Aoba Johsai's starting server was Oikawa Tooru, with Akashi Asuka second in the rotation.
That's right.
Their strategy for this set was crystal clear: crush Karasuno right from the start.
"Alrighty~ time to randomly pick a lucky target! Let's see... Who's in their back row? Hmm, that libero's got good reception skills, pass. Their captain's pretty solid too, pass. That leaves just..."
Bang!
As a dramatic BGM played in Asuka's head, Oikawa casually tossed the ball up, took a few steps forward, and launched a powerful jump serve.
The ball shot across the court at high speed, twisting through the air in a crescent-shaped arc, straight toward Asahi Azumane.
Smack!
Asahi reacted just in time, but the ball struck his upper arm, flew off his shoulder, and bounced out of bounds, rolling all the way to the back wall.
1–0.
Aoba Johsai takes the lead.
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